The Gate of Initiation
Other Names: Shock, The Arousing
Biology: thymus
Archetypal Insight from the I Ching, by Ma Deva Padma; when this description resonates, a shift from novice expression to wisdom is likely imminent:
A sudden and unexpected electrical storm can set off all kinds of reflexive alarms, sending us into a brief heart-pounding shock. This is particularly true if we’ve been so preoccupied with our own affairs that we’ve missed the gathering clouds and buildup of energy that precedes the earsplitting first crack of lightning.
It makes little difference whether the onslaught is on a psychological or physical level; when you are taken completely unaware it is natural to be thrust into a momentary gap of sheer animal panic. But after the initial, hair-raising thunderclaps, you can begin to feel the release of tension in the atmosphere. Soon you will be able to resume even the most absorbing of tasks without fear. Later on, you might even joke about how foolish it was to be so frightened. It was just a storm, after all, and it blew over as quickly as it came.
Any external jolts you have received lately are just wake-up calls from the big, existential alarm clock. It’s pointless to try to roll over and fall back to sleep, or to try to belittle the impact by pretending the shocks haven’t happened and trying to carry on with the status quo. The only way to deal with the turmoil is to look, with uncompromising honesty, at the fears that might have been provoked by the lightning and thunder. The Arousing is a time when everything is briefly illuminated with a brilliance that throws all into sharp focus. It is a time when you can learn a great deal about yourself, not to mention about those around you. But in order to reap the most benefit from the circumstances, you’ve got to keep your eyes wide open, stay alert, and avoid the temptation to run for cover. Only then, with the help of the increased clarity the situation affords you, are you able to face the reality head-on.
It might become obvious that much of what once provided a sense of stability in your life can no longer hold up to the stress of cataclysmic change. In retrospect you may see that cracks had begun to appear much earlier, but for one reason or another they were overlooked or ignored. The current shake-up, whether you like it or not, might be powerful enough to shatter whatever you’ve been depending on for support.
Shocking experiences are generally something we try to avoid. Nobody wants to deal with shattered illusions, and even less to deal with having to clean up the wreckage. But although such times of crisis might force us to recognize our weaknesses, they also bring to the surface strengths that we might not have known we had. To fight the manifestations of the crisis and the opportunities for change that they bring is to turn away from a tremendous opportunity for growth. To trust and let the situation unfold as it will can be exhilarating and ultimately revelatory. Imagine surfing the crest of an enormous tidal wave – surviving the experience is bound to be humbling and thrilling all at once. Don’t miss the chance to take the ride of your life into a more vulnerable, awe-inspired, and sensitive experience of reality.
The Changes (additional insight for applying the Line of an activated Gate)
Line 1 – Investigator/Information
If your heart is still pounding from the fright, the first thing to do is to stop running! The protective roof of your certainties might have been blown off, leaving you feeling open and exposed. But the worst will soon be over as you become acclimatized to your new nakedness.
Line 2 – Responder/Hermit
Receiving a “Zen stick” as it cracks through unconscious behaviors and stagnant situations actually can leave you more flexible and expansive, more embracing of life and all it brings. Events that bring us to our knees increase the opportunity to touch an inner calm that is profound, unshaken, and detached. It might take time for you to recover your poise and pick up the broken crockery around you, but once you get the mess cleaned up you’ll begin to appreciate the gift hidden inside what might now seem like a disaster.
Line 3 – Explorer
An experience of calm follows every storm; however, it’s wise not to roll over just at this moment and go back to sleep. In an earthquake, the initial impact is a terrible jolt, but an even stronger tremor may follow that finishes off the job started by the first. Better to drop the idea of keeping “it” together. Instead, loosen up and get ready to roll with the next wave.
Line 4 – Stabilizer
Just as the forging of a blade requires repeated heating, hammering, and tempering in cold water, so we, too, are honed by existence. If you can accept the process, your capacity for resilience and endurance under stress will grow.
Line 5 – Visionary Leader
The positive results of shock can be many. It can increase your capacity to look honestly at yourself, and to deal with any attitudes and behaviors that have become too slack or presumed too much. In this way you grow more alert and intolerant of sleepy habits that keep you dozing until the next alarm. The purpose of the alarm bells is to provoke change. To the extent that you answer the calls when they come and respond creatively, you won’t be startled off your center.
Line 6 – Adept/Role Model
When it seems as though you’re being pounded at every turn and everything around you is in chaos, all your idealism disintegrates, leaving only the essentials in place. A considered retreat might be in order while you turn your attention to nourishing yourself and taking care of the essentials. Whatever is left standing after the upheaval deserves to be given a chance, and it is likely that some of what remains will come as a pleasant surprise.
Other aspects
Astrological Sign: Aries
Dynamics: Arousing (thunder)
Color: red
Attributes: provoking movement, shock, impulsive, disturbing
Action(s): to share
Developmental: birth